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| Rev. Canon George Sinclair |
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(Podcast of CFRA broadcast on Sunday, July 13th, 2014)
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Broadcast Notes:
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'Choose To Rejoice: Practical Discipleship'
(Part 1)
First Thessalonians 5:
16-17, 18b.
This is a shortened version of a
Sermon I gave at Church of the Messiah. It was part of an 8 week series called
"Practical Discipleship", where I went through First Thessalonians 5:
9-24.
The question I’m going to ask
today is, “Is the bible emotionally unrealistic?”
From the ESV, the Bible text is: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give
thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you."
1. "Rejoice always"
does not mean "feel joy" or "Be joyous".
The Bible never commands an
emotion.
2. "Rejoice always" is
not a technique to build myself up.
3. Rejoicing can reveal how
"bent" or "fallen" I am. The Bible is not encouraging
"bent" rejoicing. We all know people who dwell on wrongs that have
happened to them. We know people who dwell on how much money they’re going to
make. We dwell on things all the time. It’s very natural. The Bible isn’t
saying we should only dwell on God.
4. "Rejoice always"
means: develop the habit of dwelling on
the reality and greatness of the living God and praising Him.
5. Dwelling on the greatness of
the living God can be spiritually dangerous unless it is the fruit of a saving faith in Jesus Christ crucified.
The context of verses 16 to 18, begins in verses 9 and 10 (leading to the conclusion in verses 16 to 18). It reads: 1 Thessalonians 5: 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
The text is saying that it’s possible that dwelling on the greatness of God, in a religious sense, can be religious work. We can’t be looking down our nose at other people and in the same sense, and be dwelling on the greatness of God. Thus, this text is telling us that the only reason that we can really think and dwell in the greatness of God is to understand that, on our own trajectory, our own course in life, estranged from the living God, we will ultimately suffer his wrath.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24: 23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
God does this! This is something only God can do and he’s done it in the person of his Son. When the Bible is saying that Jesus died for us so that we might live with Him, it’s saying that Jesus took away our sin. Not only did He take away our punishment that we deserve, but actually, we are clothed with Jesus; that we live with Him; that God sanctifies us. That’s what God offers us!
The
point is, no matter how good we think we are, in how we live, we could never
add to what God offers us in Jesus. That’s
why we need to: "Rejoice
always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
6. I can only rejoice in the
living God where I am, and, I need to rejoice in the living God where I am.
7. Dear
God, please help me today to remember what Your Son did to save me, and help me
to dwell on Your greatness and Your glory and praise You. In Jesus name, AMEN.
- Rev. Canon George Sinclair
Church of the Messiah
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